Penelope Unn

Hinduism, the main religion practised in India, encourages appreciation of the natural world and reverence for all forms of life. The cow is particularly sacred to Hindus, most of whom are vegetarians. For this reason the slaughter of cows is illegal in most Indian states.                  

The cow is a maternal symbol in India because it provides more sustenance for a family if kept alive than if killed for its flesh. It provides milk, yoghurt, butter and ghee -- all...

Thousands of years ago the rishis (sages) of India began to express their sense of unity with the natural world through their poetic hymns to nature deities such as Surya (sun), Agni (fire) and Vayu (wind). These hymns were later compiled into the sacred texts of Hinduism that became known as the Vedas. They are the outpourings of the early Indian spirituality from which yoga and meditation evolved.

As well as feeling a mystical connection with nature, the rishis also sensed the unseen energies of the universe beyond their...

The Sanskrit word for philosophy is darsan, which means vision, and yoga philosophy offers us a vision or view of life that’s full of inspiration, yet very straightforward, practical and applicable to daily life. Although most people are aware of yoga in terms of its popular physical practices (hatha yoga), it’s not yet widely known that the yogic path is primarily spiritual and philosophical in nature.

Yoga was originally intertwined with the Hindu religion, which since ancient times has been characterised by rituals, wor...

We’re all born with creative instincts and abilities. Perhaps there’s a part of you that’s dying to write a book, compose a song, paint a picture or become involved in other creative activities. Alternatively you may have a creative profession or hobby, but often experience the dreaded block where ideas seem to dry up just when you need them the most.  

If either of these scenarios applies to you, the big question is: how can you access the creative resources that lie deep inside you, waiting to be used? I’ve personal...

Let’s say your intuition leads you into new territory but later you wonder if you made the right decision. What can you do to clarify whether or not you’re on the right track?

Firstly you can reflect on the moment you made the decision to follow your current path. Were you feeling expansive, energised and calmly confident (a sign that intuition was involved)? Or maybe it was a moment when you felt it was something you should do, and when you look back you realise the decision made you feel a bit tired and heavy (usually si...